While I’m waiting to hear news about my first book which is under submission to a publisher, I’m working on my next book.

My first book has taken about five years to write, starting from when it was initially a picture book. I will never, ever, ever write a book like that again! I had an idea, wrote it in two sittings as a picture book. Then I grew it into a middle-grade book by writing 500 words a day at 5.30 in the morning before the kids woke up. I had no idea where it was going, I didn’t know anything about my characters before I started and I had no knowledge about how to structure a book at all.

So this time, I’m doing the complete opposite! I’m spending months daydreaming and planning. I’m going through my writing books, answering prompts on theme and setting and secondary characters. I’m drawing mindmaps and taking long baths. I’m writing lists about the things I do know and lists about the things I don’t know.

I’m hoping to finish my planning by the end of the month, then start writing. The writing is the easy part – when you know where you’re going!

This is both a daydreaming and a planning stage. The daydreaming comes about when thinking about the main character and what he wants most in the world, who will stop him and how all that will unfold.

The planning part is thinking about where all the events will fit into the structure of the book. What happens that disturbs the protagonist from his usual life and propels him into action? What happens in the middle of the book to turn everything around and surprise both the protagonist and the reader? Will the protagonist triumph over the antagonist at the end?

I’m having a great time because it’s so creative. Some days I write pages and pages of notes, some days I reread a writing book. Every single time I move my story forward because I have a flash of insight about why a character is behaving a certain way or I have an idea about where I could place a particular scene. And even though at times it seems like I haven’t achieved anything – I can’t say I’ve written 1,743 words today – this book is starting to take shape, even if it’s all in my mind and notebook at the moment.

Santa was very generous last year, and gave the five of us a different magazine subscription. My husband received National Geographic and Mr 8 received the kids’ version. Mr 14 now subscribes to Slam, the US basketball magazine, Miss 11 receives Teen Breathe, a new magazine for tweens and younger teenage girls and I am the lucky recipient of Flow magazine.

Flow is a magazine that takes its time, celebrating creativity, imperfection and life’s little pleasures. It comes from the Netherlands, and always has a little paper giveaway – a slim notebook perhaps or a set of calendar cards or gift cards.

My first issue came in the mail this week – it felt like Christmas again!

I’m savouring every article, and reading slowly. There’s always four sections – feel connected, live mindfully, spoil yourself and simplify your life. Flow uses gorgeous illustrations from talented illustrators and designers around the world. I love the creative design, the beautiful papers, the thoughtful articles on creativity and mindfulness. This is not a perfectly curated magazine of instagram-worthiness – it’s about real people doing their best and celebrating small delights while living creatively.

Miss 11 has thoroughly enjoyed Teen Breathe – there’s an adult version called Breathe. It’s Australian, and focuses on mindfulness. The tagline is – Be happy, be brave, be kind, be yourself. In the current launch issue, there’s an article with instructions and hints on yoga poses, meditation, origami flowers, starting a new school, managing social media – all the important aspects of a teen’s life. I think it’s a really gentle way of explaining these concepts – a bit like a kind auntie talking about it instead of your Mum nagging you! There are gorgeous illustrations and the photos rarely show the model’s full face so the girls photographed look like someone you might know, instead of being model material.

Basketball-obsessed Mr 14 has read his Slam cover to cover, with articles on various players, interviews with well-known stars and lots of statistics. There’s always a poster of a basketballer.

Both versions of National Geographic have kept my husband and Mr 8 happy. The kids’ version is done well, with quizzes, small boxes of bite-size information and collectible posters. According to the latest quiz, I am most like a pygmy hippo! And of course, the adult version as you might expect, is full of beautiful photography and interesting articles.

And we have a whole year of waiting for our magazines to arrive in the letterbox! Go Santa!

I read a lot of fabulous books over the summer holidays, and this book, The extremely inconvenient adventures of Bronte Mettlestone by Jaclyn Moriarty, was one of my favourites. Miss 11 received it for Christmas, and demolished it over a day or two. And yes, Jaclyn Moriarty is Liane Moriarty’s sister – the latter wrote Big little lies and Truly, madly, guiltily among other books.

Perfect for girls aged 9-12, this book is about ten-year-old Bronte, who finds out that her parents were killed by pirates. As her parents left her with her Aunt Isabelle when she was a baby, Bronte is not exactly heartbroken by this news. But she’s alarmed when her parents’ will states she must visit her eleven aunts and bring them a small, specified gift.

This inconvenient adventure means Bronte must travel alone, visit aunts she hasn’t met, eat certain foods, be at particular places – all carefully orchestrated for reasons that Bronte can’t understand. If she doesn’t follow her parents’ instructions to the letter, her home town will fall apart.

The eleven aunts are all interesting, original characters who sail the seas, look after dragons or run small countries.

I loved the whimsical blend of realism and fantasy with such an original concept. It’s a wonderful quest story, and the ending brings together all the clues – and the aunts – scattered throughout the book.

It’s a thick book with a gorgeous blue and gold cover – enticing to readers who want a long book. I would encourage more reluctant readers to give it a go as it’s a satisfying read.

Readers might also be interested to know that Jaclyn wrote most of this book in a chocolate shop! You can hear more about how Jaclyn wrote her book in an interview on the So you want to be a writer podcast.

It might almost be the end of January, and you might have forgotten your 2018 resolutions or intentions. Maybe you haven’t exercised as often as you had planned or maybe you haven’t cleaned out all the kitchen drawers or sorted out your budget. But according to the book and movie, Wonder, those sorts of things aren’t as important as kindness.

Kinder than is necessary. Because it’s not enough to be kind. One should be kinder than needed.

The kids and I read Wonder by R. J. Palacio a few years ago. I loved it so much, that I was equal parts thrilled and alarmed when I found out there was going to be a film based on the book. Thrilled because it would be wonderful to see such an amazing book brought to life in a different form and alarmed because – what if the film didn’t do justice to the book?

We all saw the film last week, and thought it was excellent – funny, heart-warming, perceptive and realistic. The movie was true to the book – obviously with some of the smaller details left out.

Auggie Pullman is about to start fifth grade. He’s never been to school before because his mother home-schooled him while he went through 27 operations on his face because he was born with a cranio-facial disorder. The book and film tell Auggie’s story of starting school for the first time, where he is bullied, ignored and eventually makes friends. It also follows the story of Via, Auggie’s older sister, who understands why Auggie needs to come first in their family but finds it frustrating at times. Other characters include Miranda, Via’s best friend, who now doesn’t talk to her, Justin, Via’s new boyfriend, Jack, Auggie’s new friend and Auggie’s parents.

At the end of the year, Mr Tushman, the principal at Auggie’s school, speaks at an assembly and reminds the students that raising hearts is what really matters.

This video with R. J. Palacio talking to young kids about kindness really shows her focus in both life and writing.

So maybe you haven’t ticked off your January to-do list but I bet you have raised a heart or two with a kind word or action. Here’s to raising hearts in 2018!

While I firmly believe that any day is the best day to set a new intention, there’s something about New Year’s Eve that makes me appreciate the opportunity for a fresh start. I love Elizabeth Gilbert’s comment in one of her interviews with Oprah on the SuperSoul podcast – ‘I keep messing up the old one but they keep giving me a brand new year!’ – I’m paraphrasing her words.

For the last couple of years, I’ve paid less attention to resolutions and focused more on feelings. Danielle La Porte, in her book The desire map, describes it like this:

We have the procedure of achievement upside down. Typically, we come up with our to-do lists, our bucket lists and our strategic plans – all the stuff we want to have, get, accomplish, and experience outside of ourselves. All of those aspirations are being driven by an innate desire to feel a certain way.

So what if, first, we got clear on how we actually wanted to feel within ourselves, and then we designed our to-do lists, set our goals, and wrote out our bucket lists?

How do you want to feel when you look at your schedule for the week? When you get dressed in the morning? When you walk through the door of your studio or your office? When you pick up the phone? When you cash the check, accept the award, finish your masterpiece, make the sale, or fall in love?

How do you want to feel?

Knowing how you actually want to feel is the most potent form of clarity that you can have. Generating those feelings is the most powerfully creative thing you can do with your life.

This year, I wanted to feel creative, connected and calm. I think I achieved two out of three.

Creative – I have finished and submitted a children’s novel to a publisher, I’ve sewn a quilt and Christmas stockings, started a new quilt, cooked a handful of new recipes every month, planted our back garden, gone on creative excursions, kept a dozen or so indoor plants alive, taught a few workshops on creative writing, made Christmas hampers with friends …

Connected – I’ve had meaningful conversations with my kids with equal parts listening and speaking, celebrated my twenty-year wedding anniversary with my husband, started a new friendship with an elderly lady in my community, talked and talked and talked with friends, celebrated many family birthdays, sent my words out here every week and responded to my lovely blog readers …

Calm – I don’t think I achieved this one. Life runs at such a hectic pace and there’s not enough white space between all the activities. As a strong introvert, I need time to myself in the same way that extroverts need to be around people. Something to work on for 2018 …

Four intentions, focusing on body, heart, mind, spirit. He suggests focusing on these four intentions daily so that during the course of your day, you will begin to remember them and make appropriate choices about food, stressful situations etc.

Regardless of whether you like to set intentions or celebrate into the early hours of 2018, I hope 2018 is a wonderful year for you. Thanks for reading my blog this year. I’ll be taking a few weeks off and will start blogging again in mid-January.

Thank you, my lovely blog readers, who have read my posts, shared your thoughts and had bookish conversations with me online, in the playground, in the cafe. May you have a wonderful, joyful Christmas.

May you have a moment which makes you laugh so much that you feel uncomfortable.

May you eat something that brings you comfort and pleasure and deliciousness in a mouthful, whether it’s your mother’s panna cotta or your uncle’s home-brewed beer, whether it’s traditional turkey with cranberry sauce or a light salad.

May you choose kindness over irritability.

May you keep your mouth closed, even when you knew this disaster over the unripe avocado from the supermarket at 5pm on Christmas Eve could have been avoided.

May you read a child a Christmas story, and watch their eyes light up while you snuggle close.

May you find exactly the right present to express exactly how you feel about someone you love.

May you feel like you belong, exactly as you are, when you share a Christmas meal.

May you hang the Christmas quilt that you finally finished after six years of sewing! (Or maybe that’s just me!)

May you sparkle like a light at a Christmas gathering.

May you find a quiet corner to catch up with a friend, and really listen when she tells you what’s been going on for her.

May you have enough sleep during December, to sustain you throughout the season of celebrating.

May you bring out a treasured Christmas decoration, and remember.

May you receive just one present which makes you feel understood by just one person.

May you stop for a moment, in all the mayhem and madness, to enjoy a cuppa in beautiful, solitary silence.

May you remember that others won’t celebrate Christmas the way you do, and need a little of whatever you can offer – food, clothes, gifts for children.

May you hear exactly the right amount of Christmas carols – enough so you can’t help but hum along but not too much that you want to throw a shoe at the shopping centre’s loudspeaker.

May you celebrate Christmas the way you want to celebrate it, and not feel obligated to please everyone else.

May you remember to soften just a little, to someone’s request to change things or go back to the old ways.

May you know that even one person is thankful for your thoughtfulness during the festivities.

May your joy bubble up inside you like an overflowing fountain.

May you have many, many moments of peace – in your pyjamas before anyone else is awake, in the garden in your favourite spot, in a cafe in the midst of busy shoppers.

May you feel love, love, love, for all those close to you and all those you don’t know but who need your prayers and help.

May you relax on Boxing Day, knowing that a good book beckons.

May the light of a single candle remind you of the holiness of Christmas Eve.

It’s been a busy week – editing for a client, planting our backyard, celebrating my husband and Mr 14’s birthdays – plus all the Christmas shopping and baking and socialising that always happens at this time of year. I’m sure your week was full of work deadlines, school celebrations and Christmas doings as well.

Thank you to everyone who left a comment on my last post and gave me some reading suggestions. The winner of the giveaway, Sofie Laguna’s The choke, is Ingrid! I’ll make sure you receive your book in the next few days, Ingrid.

I’m reposting a list of Christmas picture books today. Even though I wrote this two years ago, of course, the books are still relevant today!

Miss 9 (now Miss 11) and Mr 6 (now Mr 8) think Christmas books are the best. They only come out for a month each year, so there is a sense of both remembering and rediscovering them, another year older. Here’s a list of ten of our favourite Christmas books.

The fourth king, the story of the other wise man, written and illustrated by Ted Sieger – the other king, King Mazzel, lives in a tiny kingdom with only his camel, Chamberlain, to keep him company. He has been watching the stars for a sign, so he would know when the King of Kings was born. Finally, he sees the star, and leaves to meet up with the other kings so he can travel to Bethlehem with them. Except that along the way, there are many people and children who need his help. King Mazzel is deeply disappointed that he did not meet the baby King. However, he hears a voice speaking, ‘”King Mazzel, you have not come too late! You were always with me. When I was lost, you showed me the way. When I was thirsty, you gave me water. When I was captive, you freed me. When I was in danger, you saved me. You were always there when I needed you, and I will be with you for ever.'” This is a lovely picture book for 4-8 year-old kids, with two fun foldout pages in the middle of the story.

Little dog and the Christmas wish, written by Corinne Fenton, illustrated by Robin Cowcher – if you live in Melbourne, you probably know that this book is the theme for the Myer windows this year. Only Miss 9 has seen the Myer windows but we will take the kids in before Christmas because it is such a lovely tradition. This story is simple and sweet, about a lost dog looking for his Jonathan in the rain. The illustrations showcase Melbourne’s city streets – you’ll recognise lots of landmarks. A great read for kids aged 2-6.

Wombat Divine, written by Mem Fox, illustrated by Kerry Argent – one of my favourites, which I have read to my kids since they were two. Wombat is that childlike character, who desperately wants to be part of the nativity play. But he is just wrong for all the various parts. ‘”Cheer up, Wombat! Don’t lose heart. Why not try for a different part?”‘ But there are no parts left. Luckily, one of the other animals remembers they still need someone for the role of baby Jesus. This is a gorgeous picture book for 2-6 year-olds, reminding them never to give up, and that there is room for everyone.

The Polar Express, written and illustrated by Chris Van Allsburg – the video for this book is almost mandatory watching during December for our family. The video may be a little scary for some children but the book doesn’t have any scary scenes. The story centres around a little boy who believes in Santa and goes on a magical train ride to the North Pole. He is chosen by Santa to choose the first Christmas gift – ‘I knew that I could have any gift I could imagine. But the one thing I wanted most for Christmas was not inside Santa’s giant bag. What I wanted more than anything was one silver bell from Santa’s sleigh.’ Beautifully illustrated picture book for 2-6 year-olds.

Applesauce and the Christmas miracle, written by Glenda Millard and illustrated by Stephen Michael King – one of my favourite author/illustrator combinations. This is a modern, Australian take on the traditional Christmas story, seen through Applesauce the pig’s perspective. Love the language – ‘night fell as dark as burnt toast … her heart felt as small as a gumnut … dry creek-beds, burnt bushland and fenceless paddocks … that orange summer evening, tiger-striped with blackened trees’. Applesauce does not feel very Christmasy as she is still mourning her home which was burnt in a bushfire. She is feeling sad that her owners, Joe and Marigold, will not receive any gifts. But as a wise owl reminds her, ‘Christmas comes from the heart’. Lovely and relevant picture book for all Australian kids, aged 2-6.

Mary’s little donkey and the escape to Egypt, written by Gunhild Sehlin – this is a children’s novel for older kids, maybe 8-12 years. It begins with a lazy but proud donkey, who makes friends with Mary. The story is the traditional Christmas story, about Mary and Joseph’s journey to Bethlehem and the birth of Jesus. It continues with their escape to Egypt, lest King Herod find them and kill their baby boy. It is a beautiful story of faith in God, faith in their donkey and faith that they will be looked after and their simple needs met. Kids will like the animal influences. ‘For three nights, the boy played with the animals in the desert. He had the same fun each time, and more and more animals came along. On the last night the lions took him to a little oasis miles away, where little monkeys picked tasty fruit for him. In the morning no one in camp believed his story, but when he brought out a bunch of dates they were all amazed. The head driver said: “We used to be amazed that Mary’s little donkey could see angels, but this child is even more amazing. Is he an angel that has come down from earth? Who else could be as safe among the wild beasts as he is on his mother’s knee?”‘

The night before Christmas, written by Clement C. Moore, illustrated by Eric Puybaret, performed by Peter, Paul and Mary – the traditional poem, with gorgeous, gorgeous illustrations. There’s a CD, with Mary from Peter, Paul and Mary, reciting the poem. Wonderful, timeless classic! Perfect for kids aged 2-6 – and probably older as well.

Room for a little one, written by Martin Waddell, illustrated by Jason Cockcroft – this is a beautiful pairing of author and illustrator with lovely language and dreamy pictures. It’s the story of animals seeking shelter in a stable on the night Jesus is born. ‘”Come inside,” Kind Ox said. “There’s always room for a little one here.”‘ The book’s theme has become family vocabulary for us – whenever we are squashed together on a couch or around a table, we manage to squash up some more for another kid to fit, saying ‘There’s always room for a little one!’ Problem is, soon I will be the little one in our family – I am predicting I will be the shortest in our family within five years! Lovely picture book for 2-6 year-olds.

Slinky Malinki’s Christmas crackers, written and illustrated by Lynley Dodd – if your children are fans of Hairy McClary, they will enjoy this picture book where Slinki Malinki gets into all sorts of trouble around the Christmas tree – ‘Glimmering, shimmering, brilliantly bright, the tree was a truly MAGNIFICENT sight. But …’ Lynley Dodd uses language and rhythm in such a way that it extends kids’ vocabulary by introducing sophisticated words in wonderful word patterns. A funny book for 2-6 year-olds.

Father and Son, written by Geraldine McCaughrean, illustrated by Fabian Negrin – this book holds such a beautiful concept. It is a picture book but it is ageless, and I imagine many young kids won’t understand it. Definitely one to read together and discuss. The story is Joseph’s reflection on how best to be a father to Jesus. Here’s an example of Joseph’s thinking – ‘What stories can I tell him? He wrote the whole history of the world.’ Or ‘what games shall we play, boy, you and I? I mean, how can you rough-and-tumble with someone who pinned the ocean in place with a single, tack-headed moon?’ Even though this is a Christmas book, it would make a lovely gift for a new dad.

I hope you and your kids are enjoying some Christmas stories at this time. Which Christmas book is your favourite?

Finally, it’s time to talk about adult fiction books for Christmas! Some people like to read something light and frothy at the beach over summer, some like a thrilling page-turner, others like to read something with depth. I’ve tried to cater for all types of summer readers in the list below.

Ache by Eliza Henry-Jones – Despite all the hype about fast-paced, page-turning books, I love a gentle quiet story. Eliza writes with sensitivity and depth – her debut Australian novel, In the quiet, moved me to tears. Ache focuses on the devastation that can occur within communities after a trauma like a bushfire. This is the story of four strong women within four generations, focusing on Annie, who goes back to her home to help after the bushfire. She grieves for her recently deceased grandmother, is exasperated by her mother and cares for her daughter. You can read my interview with Eliza here.

My name is Lucy Barton/ Anything is possible by Elizabeth Strout – I’m so glad I read both these books this year. I’m going to borrow the rest of her books from the library over summer. Strout writes with so much perception and empathy. My name is Lucy Barton is a novel, and Anything is possible could be read either as a novel about the people in Lucy Barton’s hometown or as a collection of short stories about characters whose lives intersect. It really doesn’t matter which book you read first, but you’ll probably want to read both of them. Strout’s books, like Eliza Henry-Jones’ books, are quiet and they shine with such knowledge about the human condition.

Force of nature by Jane Harper – this is the second book by Harper. Her first book, The dry, sold well in Australia and is going to be made into a film. The protagonist from The dry is also the lead character in Force of Nature but it’s not a sequel so can be read independently. This one is a page-turning, suspenseful read about a group of four women who are on a corporate bushwalking event – but only three return. The book is told from several perspectives which makes it interesting to read as the story unfolds.

The choke by Sofie Laguna – this book is a worthy successor to The eye of the sheep, which won Sofie the Miles Franklin award in 2015. Again, we have a child protagonist in ten-year-old Justine, who lives with her Pop and sometimes her half-brothers. Her Mum disappeared years ago and her Dad blows in and out. Sofie does a fabulous job in creating a strong world, where everything is seen through Justine’s eyes. I found myself reading it with my hand almost on my heart – please don’t let this happen to Justine… But despite the grimness of her world, there is hope, particularly through the wonderful characters.

Truly, madly, guilty by Liane Moriarty – if you haven’t already read this one, this is great for light summer reading. The story focuses on the friendship between two women, Clementine and Erika. We know that something happened at the barbeque at Erika’s neighbours’ house, but we don’t know what exactly it is. The suspense was definitely drawn out for much longer than it needed to, but Moriarty is fabulously wicked and insightful with her character descriptions which pull you right into her fictional world. All the characters are presented with light and shade, so as readers you both empathise with them and feel frustrated in equal parts. And if you haven’t read any of Moriarty’s earlier books, they would all make fabulous summer reading, too.

Our souls at night by Kent Haruf – this is a lovely, gentle read about Addie and Louis who have been neighbours for years, still living in their family homes after their respective partners have died and their children moved out. It’s a beautiful love story, full of shared stories. Their conversations offer hope and illuminate the everyday courage and resilience of ordinary people.

The passage of love by Alex Miller – this is one I haven’t read yet but I’m looking forward to reading, despite reading a slightly negative review. I enjoyed Miller’s earlier book, Lovesong, so I’m keen to see what this one is like. This synopsis is taken from the book –

At twenty-one years, Robert Crofts leaves his broken dreams in Far North Queensland, finally stopping in Melbourne almost destitute. It’s there he begins to understand how books and writing might be the saving of him. They will be how he leaves his mark on the world. He also begins to understand how many obstacles there will be to thwart his ambition.

When Robert is introduced to Lena Soren, beautiful, rich and educated, his life takes a very different path. But in the intimacy of their connection lies an unknowability that both torments and tantalises as Robert and Lena long for something that neither can provide for the other.

In a rich blend of thoughtful and beautifully observed writing, the lives of a husband and wife are laid bare in their passionate struggle to engage with their individual creativity.

The museum of modern love by Heather Rose – this book about art and love won the Stella prize this year. It’s a novel but it’s based on Marina Abramovic, the Serbian artist who spent 75 days in a New York gallery, sitting with strangers, for her exhibition, The artist is present. There are a few different perspectives – Arky Levin, the composer whose wife is no longer with him, Jane, whose husband died a little while ago, Marina herself, and a few minor characters. The whole concept of sitting still and gazing intensely into different strangers’ eyes, over and over, for 75 days is astounding, and Rose’s book does it justice. Other reviewers, like my friend Carolyn, have noted disappointments in the New York setting – mobile phones instead of cell phones for example. It is a literary novel, with frequent switches between character viewpoints.

The art of wellbeing by Meredith Gaston – this non-fiction book would make a delightful present. I’ve already bought it for someone and I’m hoping a copy might find its way into my stocking! Gaston is an illustrator, and has written and illustrated a couple of books like The art of gratitude. The art of wellbeing continues her same, unmistakable style with gorgeous girls outlined in black pen with splashes of colour. There are recipes for smoothies and activating nuts, as well as reflections on mindfulness. The sections are called lovely names such as nourish, blossom, comfort, energise. This would be a beautiful book to dip in and out of during summer.

The time traveler’s wife by Audrey Niffenegger – this book was one of the most original, amazing love stories I’ve read. Henry is a time traveller – he has been since he was a small boy. His wife Clare meets him when she is young and he is one of his older time travelling selves. Henry’s life is unorthodox and only Clare at first knows he time travels. The book flicks between the different times and different ages of both Henry and Clare. As a reader, I had a sense of impending doom and the ending was sad. It’s one of those books that you want to read quickly because it’s such a page-turner but you also want to read slowly because you don’t want it to finish. The book was published in 2003 so it’s been around for a while, and there is a movie now. I can’t decide whether I want to see the movie or not – it might completely spoil the story for me!

Please pass this post on to anyone who may be looking for suggestions for adult fiction books to read or buy over Christmas.

I have a copy of The Choke by Sofie Laguna to send to one lucky reader. Keep it yourself or give it as a Christmas present. To enter, please make sure you have subscribed to my blog and leave a comment on this post with a reading suggestion for me over the summer holidays. Comments must be posted by next Thursday 14th December. The winner will be announced next Friday 15th December in that day’s blog post. Good luck!

With potentially seven or eight weeks of holidays ahead of them, teenagers need some decent books to keep them away from their screens! Young adult fiction can be a tricky area to navigate – a book that a nineteen-year-old might enjoy may not be suitable for a fourteen-year-old. The age of the protagonist is a good guide as teenagers usually like reading about a protagonist a year or two older than they are. However, there aren’t any rules with young adult fiction so don’t let the suggested ages hinder anyone from reading a good story. There are a couple of books here told by both a female and male protagonist, which makes it more appealing to girls and boys. While girls will usually want to read a book with a female protagonist and vice versa, it’s so important to encourage kids to read about a variety of viewpoints. Here’s a selection of ten fabulous young adult reads.

Take three girls by Cath Crowley, Simmone Howell and Fiona Wood – this book delighted me because of the concept – three Yr 10 girls at the same school who didn’t have much to do with each other are forced into a group through a school wellness program. They all branch out and develop in unexpected ways, as does their friendship. The story is told from three different viewpoints, and all three voices are strong. This book also terrified me because of the social media angle – there’s an anonymous website where students at local schools comment on different posts, like a list of girls with eating disorders and unflattering photos. This book is one for girls aged 14-16.

The gathering by Isobelle Carmody – this is an oldie, published in 1993. Nathaniel has moved with his mother to a quiet suburb where everything appears to be in order but underneath the surface lies evil. Nathanial learns he is one of the Chain, a group of five kids who have been chosen to break the reign of evil by the head master, Mr Karle. This is quite a grim, page-turning tale, suitable for 13-15 year-old boys and girls.

Legend by Marie Lu – I’ve just started this one, and so far, I’m intrigued. One of the protagonists is Day, a boy who is undercover because he’s wanted by the authorities but secretly watches over his family. The other protagonist is June, who has skipped ahead a few years at college, and lives with her beloved older brother. Day and June have heard of each other but don’t know each other. One day, June’s brother is killed by Day, and June swears to find Day and kill him.

The hate you give by Angie Thomas – this is one of my favourite reads (children, young adult and adult fiction) for this year. It’s about Starr Carter, a sixteen-year-old African American girl living in Garden Heights, an area notorious for crime and drugs. She goes to school at Williamson, where she’s one of a handful of black students. Within the first twenty pages, she’s at a party chatting to an old friend, Khalil. There’s gunshots at the party so they flee in Khalil’s car, are pulled over by the police and because Khalil checks to see if Starr is ok, he’s shot dead. As you can predict, the novel focuses on the cruelty and unfairness of a young black man’s life at the hands of a white policeman. You can read a longer review here. Suitable for boys and girls, aged 13-16.

This is Shyness by Leanne Hall – This is an apocalyptic type book, where darkness reigns over the suburb of Shyness. While many have left Shyness, those that remain live out their days without sunlight, watching out the for sugar-high Kidds. When Wildgirl, an outsider, meets Wolfboy from Shyness, they spend a night exploring the best and worst of Shyness. This story is told from both viewpoints, making it an excellent choice for boys and girls, aged 13-16. It won the Text prize in 2009.

The girl from everywhere by Heidi Heilig – It’s about a sixteen-year-old girl called Nix Song, who is a Navigator on a pirate ship with the ability to follow maps into the margins, into different countries and different timelines. Led by her father the Captain, and supported by a crew of time refugees, she discovers her own abilities. She needs to, lest her father steer them into a time and place where Nix doesn’t exist. Perfect for 14-16 year-olds.

No limits by Ellie Marney – I loved reading this book earlier in the year. It’s gritty but the two characters are interesting, the danger they find themselves in is page-turning and the chemistry between them is magnetic. Because the story is told from both Derwent and Amie’s viewpoints, it’s another great read for boys and girls, aged 15-18. You can read a longer review here.

His dark materials by Phillip Pullman – this one I haven’t read but am planning to over January because I’ve heard so many good things about it. It’s a trilogy which contains Northern lights, The subtle knife and The amber spyglass. This description comes straight from the book blurb for Northern lights – ‘Lyra, an orphan lives in a parallel universe in which science, theology and magic are entwined. Lyra’s search for a kidnapped friend uncovers a sinister plot involving stolen children and turns into a quest to understand a mysterious phenomenon called Dust.’

Moonrise by Sarah Crossan – I haven’t read this one either but it’s on my list because I loved her earlier book, One, so much. One was so extraordinary that I would read anything by Sarah Crossan without knowing a thing about it. The blurb below comes from the book –

‘They think I hurt someone.
But I didn’t. You hear?
Cos people are gonna be telling you
all kinds of lies.
I need you to know the truth.

Joe hasn’t seen his brother for ten years, and it’s for the most brutal of reasons. Ed is on death row. But now Ed’s execution date has been set, and Joe is determined to spend those last weeks with him, no matter what other people think …’

Turtles all the way down by John Green – another moving book by best-selling young adult novelist, John Green. I didn’t cry through this one, like I did with his earlier book, The fault in our stars, but it was definitely a page turner. The protagonist of this story, Aza Holmes, has anxiety. She lives with her mother, loves her best friend Daisy (who is one of the most vividly-drawn sidekick characters I’ve enjoyed) and has reconnected with an old friend, Davis, whose billionaire father is missing. Anxiety for Aza manifests itself in a fear about the bacteria Clostridium difficile. This means she has to constantly check an old wound on her finger, washing it, using hand sanitiser and reapplying fresh bandaids. It also means she worries about kissing Davis – all that bacteria. Reading Aza’s thought processes was exhausting but it put me right into her head. Like all John Green’s characters, Aza has a strong voice and her courage makes her a likeable character. The orange spiral on the front cover is a motif for the way Aza sees her thoughts, spiralling down and down into a never-ending vortex. This book is suitable for 14 years plus. Green has added a list of supportive websites at the back of his book for readers who may be affected by the issues raised in his book.

Please pass this post on to anyone who may be looking for young adult books to buy as Christmas presents. I’ll be compiling a list for adult fiction within the next week or two. Happy Christmas shopping!

Sadly, I don’t buy picture books any more because my kids think they are way too old for them now. So it was a pleasure to browse some lovely books in a couple of bookshops to see the latest in picture books.

Koala Bare, written by Jackie French and illustrated by Matt Shanks – this koala has attitude with a capital A. He’s also on a mission to explain that he is a koala, not a koala bear. Kids will love the beautiful simple illustrations with lots of white space, and the cheekiness of this koala with a strong voice. Koala goes through the different types of bears and explains why koalas are superior to them all, and why he is not one of them. Perfect for two-four year-olds.

Madeline Finn and the library dog, written and illustrated by Lisa Papp – Madeline Finn does not like to read, and avoids it at home and school. But she really wants her teacher to give her a star like the other kids who read well at school. Usually, she receives heart with messages like, Keep trying! One day, her mum takes her to the library, and the librarian introduces her to one of the library dogs. Reading to Bonnie is not like reading to anyone else, and slowly but surely, Madeline becomes a reader. This would be a perfect gift for a child starting school next year – not preachy at all.

Mouse House, written and illustrated by John Burningham – kinder kids will love this story about a mouse family living unseen in a human family’s house. The little mice know they must never allow themselves to be seen by humans. Yet, a boy catches sight of a mouse and tells his father. The children and the mice are all of a sudden united in their efforts to help the mouse family escape from the exterminator.

Danny Blue’s really excellent dream, written and illustrated by Max Landrak – Danny’s world – and everyone else’s – is blue. But one night Danny has a dream which has red in it. His father, a paint shop owner, dismisses it but Danny is keen to replicate this unknown colour. After a few trial and error attempts, he creates an amazing shade of red. No one is impressed initially, but then red starts popping up everywhere. Danny wants to call the paint colour ‘really excellent dream’ but it’s a long name for a paint colour. So it’s shortened to R.E.D. Four-five year-old kids will appreciate the humour, and the little words which relate to the pictures.

La la la, written by Kate DiCamillo, illustrated by Jaime Kim – so there might only be one word – repeated and repeated and repeated – in this picture book but don’t be deceived by this simplicity. There is a story around this word, and the gorgeous illustrations bring a little girl’s need for connection to life.

The poesy ring, written and illustrated by Bob Graeme – this book follows the history of a ring, which is moved from field to ocean to city by animals and humans. A beautiful book to encourage imaginative thinking and questioning.

Story cubes – although these obviously aren’t a book, story cubes are a fabulous way to encourage imaginative storytelling. I found these ones at Dymocks. We have a set at home which I used to keep in my bag at all times. Perfect for when you’re waiting for an appointment, out to dinner or even in the car. The cubes have pictures which makes it a good game for three-five year-olds. Older kids can make up more elaborate stories while little ones can tell a story based on one picture with a couple of sentences. And your job is to ask ‘why’!

There are also other ideas for picture books in my posts here,here,here,here and here, including fairy tale picture books.